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Questions & Answers about Stríðið byrjar árið 1939.
Why isn't there a preposition like "in" before árið?
When talking about specific years, Icelandic doesn't use a preposition like í (in). Instead, you just use the definite noun árið (the year) followed directly by the number.
What case is árið in this sentence?
It is in the accusative case. In Icelandic, when you express a point in time without using a preposition, the time word usually takes the accusative case. Because ár is a neuter noun, its nominative and accusative forms look exactly the same (árið).
Why does the sentence use árið instead of just ár?
When stating a specific year in history, Icelandic always uses the definite form. You are literally saying "the year 1939", which is why the definite suffix -ið is added to ár.
How do you say the year "1939" out loud in Icelandic?
Years are read as hundreds, just like they often are in English. You would say nítján hundruð þrjátíu og níu (nineteen hundred thirty and nine).